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| Botero in Singapore - Garden Grandeur Opening. Image Courtesy of IMBA. |
Singapore is about to host one of the most significant art presentations the city has ever seen. For the first time in Southeast Asia, the works of Maestro Fernando Botero - one of the most recognisable and beloved artists in modern art, will take centre stage in a sweeping, multi-format showcase across Gardens by the Bay and the brand-new IMBA Theatre.
Titled Botero in Singapore, this landmark presentation brings together nearly 130 original works and unfolds across three distinct experiences: monumental outdoor sculptures set among lush gardens, a major gallery exhibition drawn from the Botero family collection, and the world’s first immersive audiovisual journey dedicated to the artist’s life. It is not only the largest Botero showcase ever staged globally, but also a defining opening statement for IMBA Theatre as it launches in early 2026.
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| Botero in Singapore - Garden Grandeur Opening. Image Courtesy of IMBA. |
Where Art Meets Nature: Monumental Botero Sculptures at Gardens by the Bay
The experience begins outdoors, where Botero’s signature bronze sculptures have already transformed parts of Gardens by the Bay into an open-air gallery. Six monumental works now stand within the Silver Garden, with four more set to arrive at IMBA Theatre, forming an expansive presentation titled Garden Grandeur.
Botero long believed that art should exist beyond museum walls, becoming part of everyday life. Set against sweeping greenery and the iconic skyline, these sculptures feel both playful and powerful. Their exaggerated forms and rounded volumes are instantly recognisable, yet seeing them at this scale and being surrounded by nature and open sky, adds a new sense of warmth and accessibility. You are encouraged to walk around them, photograph them, and simply spend time in their presence, allowing moments of humour, reflection, and delight to unfold naturally.
Unveiled on 23 January 2026 by Fernando Botero Zea, Co-President of the Fernando Botero Foundation, alongside IMBA CEO Michael Lee and Gardens by the Bay CEO Felix Loh, these sculptures mark the public’s first encounter with the exhibition serving as and an early glimpse of how Botero’s art thrives in shared civic spaces.
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Botero: Heart of Volume
Image Courtesy of IMBA.
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Image Courtesy of IMBA.
Heart of Volume: A Rare Look Inside the Botero Family Collection
While the outdoor sculptures introduce Botero’s monumental language, the heart of the exhibition lies inside IMBA Theatre. Opening on 13 February 2026, Heart of Volume presents 118 paintings, drawings, and indoor sculptures spanning Botero’s extraordinary 70-year career.
Drawn directly from the collection of the Botero family, this exhibition offers an unusually intimate and comprehensive perspective on his legacy. You will encounter everything from delicate studies and luminous watercolours to fully realised compositions that showcase his theatrical staging and masterful control of colour and form. Together, the works trace the evolution of his distinctive “Boterismo” style - a visual language defined by volume, balance, and a quietly subversive sense of humour.
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| El Arrastre Image Courtesy of The Botero Foundation. |
Beyond the instantly recognisable rounded figures, the exhibition reveals Botero’s deep engagement with art history. Echoes of Classical and Renaissance traditions sit alongside the influence of modern masters such as Picasso, demonstrating the discipline and historical awareness behind his seemingly playful compositions. This is an opportunity to see the precision and intention behind a style that has become one of the most iconic in contemporary art.
Early bird tickets for Heart of Volume go on sale on 30 January 2026, ahead of the exhibition’s opening.
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Botero: A Life in Fullness
Image Courtesy of IMBA.
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Image Courtesy of IMBA.
A Life in Fullness: The World’s First Immersive Botero Experience
If Heart of Volume explores Botero’s artistic mastery, A Life in Fullness invites audiences into his personal world. Opening on 6 March 2026, this 45-minute immersive experience is the first of its kind dedicated to the artist and has been created in close collaboration with the Fernando Botero Foundation.
Narrated by Botero’s eldest son, Fernando Botero Zea, the experience unfolds as an intimate audiovisual journey through the artist’s life. Through a blend of animation, archival materials, and spatial storytelling, visitors move through scenes that illuminate Botero not just as a global art figure, but as a father, a rebel, and a man shaped by love, loss, and resilience. His iconic forms come alive in motion, revealing the emotional depth and personal stories behind the monumental works.
More than a digital spectacle, the experience feels like a tribute - a deeply personal letter from son to father, offering a rare emotional dimension to an artist whose work is so often associated with humour and visual exuberance.
Early bird tickets for A Life in Fullness will also be available from 30 January 2026.
Artist impression of IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay, which will launch Q1 2026.
Image Courtesy of IMBA.
Image Courtesy of IMBA.
IMBA Theatre’s Grand Debut
Botero in Singapore also marks a defining milestone for IMBA Theatre, a new cultural venue purpose-built for immersive experiences and large-scale exhibitions. Located within Gardens by the Bay, IMBA is designed to present art in formats that feel open, engaging, and grounded in human experience, encouraging curiosity across generations.
By launching with the most ambitious Botero presentation ever staged, IMBA signals its intent to position Singapore as a gateway for major global cultural showcases in Southeast Asia. The exhibition sets the tone for the institution’s future direction, where storytelling, technology, and fine art intersect.
Beyond the Exhibition: Botero Across the City
The celebration of Botero’s legacy extends beyond IMBA Theatre and the Gardens. From 8 January to 1 March 2026, five of his masterpieces will be displayed at Shangri-La Singapore, where guests can also enjoy a Botero-inspired afternoon tea at The Rose Veranda which is a culinary tribute that translates his bold and exuberant spirit into an elegant dining experience.
In another unexpected collaboration, Botero’s visual language enters the world of automotive design through a partnership with BMW Eurokars Auto. Two BMW models have been transformed into moving works of art in a world-first showcase running from 23 January to 22 February 2026 at the BMW Eurokars Experience Centre, expanding the artist’s legacy beyond traditional exhibition spaces.
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| Botero in Singapore. Image Courtesy of IMBA. |
Running through 18 May 2026, Botero in Singapore is more than an art exhibition, it is a citywide cultural moment. From garden pathways to gallery walls and immersive digital spaces, the presentation offers multiple ways to encounter an artist whose work continues to resonate across generations and continents.
Whether you are deeply familiar with Botero’s world or discovering it for the first time, this landmark showcase will definitely let you to step into a universe where volume, emotion, and humanity take centre stage.
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